News Bulletin

December 29, 2014

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Programmes arranged to remember school attack victims

Various programmes were arranged on Sunday as the people continued to pay tributes to the children and staff members who were martyred in the attack on the Army Public School and College. A large number of children led a walk which was arranged near the Garrison Park in Cantonment to remember 136 children and 11 staff members who were killed in the gruesome attack on the school on the Warsak Road on December 16.

Office-bearers of the teachers’ organisations have threatened to launch protest if the provincial government attempted to implement its decision to merge BISE of Bannu with Dera Ismail Khan board. At a joint meeting of all subject specialists association, Lakki Marwat, and Bannu chapters held in Naurang town on Sunday, the teachers’ leaders said that the government should avoid merging both the educational boards.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Saturday that breakthrough has been made in investigation into the Peshawar school tragedy. Talking to reporters here, he said the law-enforcers had arrested several militants, who facilitated the attack on the army-run school on Warsak Road in Peshawar on December 16.

A non-governmental organisation De Laas Gul has launched a programme to raise awareness among students about the importance of historical places in Peshawar. According to a communique, the organisation has arranged study tours of historic places of Peshawar for the students of government schools as part of the programme.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police have started collection of data on educational institutions, especially their exact location, so that they and other relevant agencies could reach the spot in time in case of any emergency. The step has been taken in the wake of the Dec 16 attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar.

“The K-P government has taken education woes seriously and allocated Rs111 billion for the uplift of the sector,” said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Fazal Hakim. He was addressing a roundtable conference organised by NGOs Alif Ailaan and Innovative Youth Forum in Saidu Sharif on Sunday. A large number of social activists, education department officials and lawmakers attended the event aimed at raising awareness about the education woes plaguing the valley.

The government has directed all schools to take a series of measures to guarantee security in the wake of the Army Public School (APS) attack. According to insiders, education boards have been asked to provide a list of telephone numbers and addresses of schools to district police officials.

All Primary Teachers Association (APTA) has asked the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to take serious steps for the security of government primary schools across the province. Following the attack on Army Public School (APS) on December 16 which claimed 150 lives, mostly of children, the government has directed the administrations of all the government and private educational institutes to enhance their security.

Winter vacations for universities across the province have been extended till early January in view of the security situation following the brutal massacre at Army Public School in Peshawar. The Elementary and Secondary Education department plans to decide on Monday (today) when government schools and colleges will reopen.

Army Public School attack: ‘His innocent smile would brighten your day’

Parents seldom believe their children when they ask not to go to school because of a real or fake headache or flu. But after that ill-fated day when militants stormed into Army Public School (APS), the parents of over 134 students may have wished that their children had stayed home, even if the excuse was made up.

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq has urged the government to grant Army Public School and College university status following the brazen attack on the school that claimed 150 lives on December 16.

The first meeting of prime minister’s council for developing a psychological support system for the victims of terrorism was held at Governor House on Friday.The government has engaged top psychiatrists of the country to hammer out guidelines to assist the children and staff of the Army Public School (APS), who were victims of the most atrocious attack and had suffered serious psychological trauma.

“We had planned a surprise for him, but he instead left us with scarred memories,” said Hassan Turyalay, Azaan Turyalay’s older sibling. December 28 is the 15th birthday of ninth-grader Azaan who died in the APS attack 12 days ago.

Khyber Agency Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah said on Friday that a key militant commander and facilitator of a deadly terrorist attack on the Army Public School Peshawar was killed and his six accomplices were arrested in injured condition during a successful raid of security forces at Jamrud of Khyber Agency.

District police officer Saleem Marwat has asked the office-bearers of All Private Schools Association to enhance security arrangements of their institutions. He said that in the wake of attack on the Army Public School, Peshawar, and terror threats to other schools the educational institutions had been asked to make their own security arrangements.

Deputy chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Maulana Attaur Rehman has said that those targeting schoolchildren, mosques, funerals, markets and religious leaders are the enemies of Islam and Pakistan.

Talking to mediapersons at Ouch here on Saturday, he said that Islam did not permit anyone to kill innocent people and non-combatants. Other JUI-F leaders, including Hafiz Akhtar Ali, were also present on the occasion.

The elementary and secondary education department has decided to conduct centralised examinations for grade five in the government schools to assess the students and teachers properly, according to officials.

Chief Minister Khyber Pukhtunkhwa said that their police department and security forces are investigating the Peshawar school incident. He said some achievements are made in the investigations. He said they would expand their investigations across border to Afghanistan.

Government Teachers Association said that, non-local candidates are applying and submitting documents at vacant posts of Education Department of Balochistan. They got their domiciles illegally based on Balochistan but most of them belonging to regions out of Balochistan.

Sindh Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that teachers’ associations are creating hurdles to the government’s efforts to reopen closed schools, and different measures being taken against ghost teachers.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has said his government’s commitment to promoting education is evident from a plan under which three medical colleges are being established in the province and Bolan Medical College (BMC) is being upgraded to university’s level.

Balochistan Education Foundation said that Skilled and expert teachers are teaching at schools of Punjgor, Zhob and Shirani. Newly appointed contract teachers are working for 4000 rupees only. Their pay is very low as compared to current inflation.

All Government Teachers Association said that, newly appointed junior candidates at higher posts, of Education Department, are distroying the departments. Recruitments should be based on judgment by High Court.

Baloch Student Organization said that government should take notice of unjustifiable distribution of Scholarships by NGOs, nonpayment of school fees by most of the students and irregularities at educational institutions.

Regional Deputy Secretary of Baloch Student Organization said that educational institutions at Dera Allah Yar are in miserable conditions. Girls Degree College has taken its degree status since three years, but until now, development has made in the school.

Chief Minister Balochistan said that government is serious about education and working for improvement in system. He said that the medical student who passed their colleges but refused to do duties is condemnable.

Not knowing when the university would open students from out-of-town who live in hostels could not decide whether to go back to their hometowns or stay in Islamabad. “I don’t understand why the university could not announce a date as to when it would reopen.

The educational institutions in Islamabad have been asked by the capital police to prepare an evacuation plan for their students and faculty members in case of an emergency. The step has been taken keeping in view the prevailing security situation in the country, a police officer told Dawn on the condition of anonymity. He said the police had offered assistance to the administrations of the educational institutions in preparing the evacuation plan.

The private schools are slated to reopen their campuses across the city on January 5 at the end of winter vacation. However, there could be a hitch: they’ll have to secure a certificate of no objection from the local administration before resuming classes after a two-week break. The Islamabad Capital Territory’s district magistrate will issue the certificate after being satisfied with the security of schools, a relevant Capital Administration and Development Division official told ‘The News’ on Friday.

FUAST scam: FIA asks Urdu university to take action against three officials

The Federal Investigation Agency has asked the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology to take action against its three officials for their alleged involvement in illegal transfer Rs150 million to a private account.

At least 446 seminaries have been built illegally on Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) land it has been reported. According to details, the illegally occupied land is worth Rs 1.6 billion. Most of the seminaries are built on green belts and around 22,000 students are being imparted religious education therein.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Sunday clarified that the reports regarding closure of universities were baseless. In a statement issued here, HEC said that no notification has been issued for extension in the vacations in universities.

Finally, nearly half of the vacant positions of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) are going to be filled as the university is set to advertise key positions soon. The university was being run on adhocism as dozens of key posts both academic and administrative were lying vacant causing a major shortage of staff and leading to administrative issues.

On Wednesday afternoon, Abdul Haleem Khawaja left the Federal Directorate of Education with painful feelings of insult, hurt, anger and disappointment when the director general FDE left his office after keeping him waiting outside his office for hours. Hundreds of such reimbursement cases are pending with the department and every other teacher or non-teaching staff member who happens to visit FDE meets only disappointment and cold shoulder there.

The Sports Division of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Friday organized the 49th Standing Sub Committee Meeting of Pakistan University Sports Board (PUSB). The meeting discussed in detail organization of the 3rd Pakistan University Games to be held in 2015, and organization of Intervarsity Sports Championships 2014-15.

The Christian employees of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) celebrated Christmas by lighting candles and observing one-minute silence over Peshawar tragedy as a mark of solidarity with the bereaved families and to extend their support to civilian and armed forces fighting terrorism.

A college student has gone missing from the Industrial Area police limits. The student, who was identified as Umair Ali, was dropped at the college by his father, Javed Iqbal, but did not return home in the evening.

The International Islamic University Islamabad has put off the reopening of its campuses for a week on security grounds. Now, the university will resume classes on January 5 after two weeks break, spokesman Hairan Khattak told 'The News' on Saturday.

Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) organised first aid training for the students and staff of Roots Millennium Schools at RCI Millennium Campus I-9/3, Islamabad, followed by PRCS certificate distribution ceremony amongst the volunteer students, says a press release. PRCS Chairman Dr. Saeed Elahi and RMS Chief Executive Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq TI spoke on this occasion. Donation by the students of Millennium Schools for the IDPs & Flood affectees were also given to the PRCS chairman and other senior management.

The International Islamic University Islamabad and the National University of Modern Languages have rescheduled their examinations. IIUI spokesman Hairan Khattak said all examinations of Semester Fall 2014 had been postponed until further orders due to extension in the closure of its campuses for a week on security grounds. “New dates will be announced soon,” he said.

Law enforcement agencies are still trying to trace the person who made a threatening call to the administration of a private school about a week ago. The security agencies, including the police and the Special Branch, are working on the case. The police have also started patrolling around the school though it is closed for the winter vacation.

High School Jasyal, Tila Gung, lacking boundary wall. Previously the school is included in top quality school but today it is lacking basic infrastructure for security.

Complete Story: The Daily Khabrain; Islamabad; Page 3.

Senators condemn Peshawar school carnage

The Senate resumed on Friday debate on the Peshawar school attack and condemned the incident in which 150 people, mostly students, were killed. Senator Zahid Khan of the Awami National Party said that no example could be found in the world history like the massacre of innocent students in the terrorist attack on the Army Public School.

Principal of Gateway Secondary School Sajjad Bukhari Road Allama Iqbal Colony is receiving terrorist threats on phone for not to open the school. Police Station Race Coerce has registered FIR against them.

PUNJAB Education Foundation (PEF) has launched the expansion of Phase 6 of its New School Programme (NSP) in order to extend the opportunity of free school education to more deserving students in different districts. According to the PEF spokesperson, 225 suitable sites for setting up partner schools under the NSP in different districts have been identified and offered to the intending partners to establish schools for giving free education to the needy students in partnership with the PEF.

The Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) will arrange free school education for four million most deserving students through its partnering schools in the province by next year. According to PEF Chairman, Engineer Qamar ul Islam Raja, PEF is doing a wonderful job by arranging free school education for the needy in the province.

Lahore University of Management Sciences Lahore (LUMS) entered into partnership with 1LINK to provide financial services to its students. Through this agreement, LUMS students would be able to pay their fees through any 1Link member bank’s Alternate Delivery Channels (Mobile Banking, Internet Banking, ATMs, IVR and Call Centres).

In order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Rs 2 billion have been reserved for education for the current fiscal year as the Punjab government considers education as a tool to development, said Punjab Minister for Excise, Taxation, Finance and Law Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman while talking to a delegation of students and teachers of a Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design on Sunday.

Though the terrorist attack at an army-run school in Peshawar prompted the federal government and law enforcement agencies to protect the citizens from such attacks in future through robust security steps, the Punjab government seems hapless in preventing such attacks on its educational institutes.

Primary school students are too young to take care of themselves. It is necessary to sensitise them regarding security issues in order to make them more responsive in emergency situations, School Education Department (SED) Deputy Secretary Qaiser Rasheed said at a seminar held last week. The Pakistan Girls’ Education Initiative (PGEI) Punjab organised the seminar in collaboration with the UNICEF and the SED.

Keeping in view the ongoing volatile security situation, Punjab Education Department (PED) has ordered the administrations of the schools to avoid holding of morning assemblies for the time being, reliable sources told The Nation on Sunday.

PML-Q president Ch Shujaat Hussain has said it is not right to dub Madrassa students as terrorists. Shujaat also recalled his achievement of launching a scheme for imparting education in Madrassas, according to which children were also equipped with modern education of computer studies along with formal religious education.

Punjab Minister for Excise & Taxation, Finance and Law Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has said that in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Rs 2 billion have been reserved for current fiscal year as the Punjab government considers education as a tool to development.

The Lahore High Court on Friday, while dismissing a petition against the test provision implemented by Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), declared the NTS test mandatory for law graduates to get practice licence for practice in the country. The court held the condition of the NTS test as mandatory for any law graduate from Pakistan or abroad to go through this test before getting practice licence.

Opposition in Punjab Assembly has urged the government to regularise the five vice chancellors of different public universities including Punjab University (PU) in the province, which are working on an ad hoc basis.

Nursing students of two teaching hospitals in Faisalabad on Saturday protested against being asked to work during winter holidays. The protesters boycotted hospital duties and gathered outside Allied Hospital and Faisalabad District Headquarters Hospital and chanted slogans against hospital administrations.

Punjab Minister for Excise & Taxation, Finance and Law Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman Sunday said Rs 2 billion has been reserved for current fiscal year to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). According to a hand out, the minister said this while talking to a delegation of students and teachers of a private Institute of Fashion and Design. Punjab Minister for Excise & Taxation, Finance and Law Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman Sunday said Rs 2 billion has been reserved for current fiscal year to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

CHIEF Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that steps regarding foolproof security in public and private educational institutes should be completed at the earliest. He said security plan evolved for schools, colleges and universities should be implemented at any cost. He said ban on arms display should be strictly implemented, action be taken against violators and special attention should be paid to checking of entry and exit points of the province, he added.

The Punjab Teachers Union (PTU) Friday held a vigil for victims of the Peshawar massacre and demanded the government to open schools in all the provinces after innocent students and staff members killed in the horrific attack. The event was held outside Lahore Press Club in which dozens of schoolteachers participated and held candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the tragedy.

TECHNICAL Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) Chairperson Irfan Shaikh has claimed that the TEVTA is taking all required measures to implement the mission of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif to ensure employment for the unemployed youth. He further said that in this connection short courses with the consultation of industry were being offered in the selected TEVTA institutes across the province of the Punjab.

ACs in Jhang directed to cooperate with LEAs to ensure security of education institutes

DCO Khurram Shahzad Sunday directed assistant commissioners to keep liaison with law enforcement agencies and education department officials to ensure complete security around educational institutions before end of winter vacation. Chairing a meeting, the DCO said security agencies’ SOPs regarding private institutions would be enforced before their reopening. He warned the EDO (education) that a strict action would be taken against the violators.

Management, teachers and students can be prepared for any future unfortunate catastrophe through counselling, said Syed Abidi, renowned educationist, career counsellor and trainer. Talking to this correspondent on the Peshawar school incident, he said while counselling for career growth and future prospects remains import for the young generation and youth of Pakistan, it has now become more important to counsel them to understand the acts of terrorism and how to fight back.

The Punjab government has extended winter vacation for public and private schools across the province until January 11, 2015. The provincial government had announced an early winter break this year from December 19, 2014 to January 2, 2015 and almost this was the case in other provinces. However, now the Punjab government has decided to extend the winter vacation and now the schools across the province will reopen on Jan 12 (Monday).

Former prime minister and PML-Q leader Ch Shujaat Hussain has opposed calling students of Madrassas terrorists. In a statement on Saturday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Q president said that when he was the interior minister of the country, a report of all Madrassas in Pakistan was completed within a month. He said according to the report, no seminary was teaching terrorism to children.

The administration of the University of Gujrat has formally asked the district government to seal the private hostel adjacent to the Hafiz Hayat Campus since the first floor of the hostel building has been a security risk for the varsity, especially the residential colony of the staff.

Nearly 1400 educational institutions are working at Shiekhupura. Nine committees has established including officials of police and education department. Commissions have to complete its survey report and will propose a draft security plan to the administration.

Government of Punjab is recruiting security guards for education institutions. GOP has planned to recruit 30000 guards and each guard will be hired for Rs. 15000 per month. Recruitments will start in January 2015.

S.U.P and JIST party members organized rally for restoration of schools. They said that due to closure of schools, students’ future is being destroyed. They demanded from higher authorities to take notice and open closed schools and save future of the innocent students.

Addressing the ceremony, the minister said that the nation was united against terrorists by sustaining the Oct 18th, Dec 27th and Dec 16th Peshawar incidents. He said that target of terrorists was to destabilise the country but the nation stood up against them, foiling their all evil actions.

The morning started with a call to take action against illiteracy and soon students, parents and teachers from across nine districts of Sindh gathered at the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) to extend their support to the Aao Parhao campaign.

Teachers hold the key to a nation’s future. But every now and then, a little appreciation never goes wasted.With this wish to express gratitude to their teachers, 10 volunteers of Iqra University (IU) worked effortlessly for 20 days to honour their tutors and mentors at the varsity’s North Nazimabad Campus at a ceremony on Thursday. The event was part of ‘Aao Parhao’, an initiative of the Express Media Group.

The problems being faced by the people of Tharparkar are very complex and the deaths of children in hospitals or at homes is only one aspect. The high mortality is a long standing issue which hasn’t occurred due to starvation alone, but on account of a persistent failure to address a number of factors, including food insecurity and malnourishment, unsafe drinking water, hygiene issues and absence of female education and family planning.

When problems loom large in our faces, we must stay strong and avoid creating panic, said Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui on Sunday. He was speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the three-day Annual Youth and Volunteer Training Camp organised by the Pakistan Red Crescent Society’s (PRCS) Sindh branch at Gulistan Scout Campsite. A group of students presented a demonstration, which showed a blast situation and how to react in such circumstances.

The condition of Education in Manjhand District Jamshoro has reached to worst condition. School buildings are crumbling; People use them for their personal works and Teachers are on Visa. The responsibility is on Government and Education Department. Head Masters and other regular Teachers have informed higher authorities to take notice, but no positive result is seen.

Efforts are being taken to promote Sindh Education; Education Minister

Sukkur: Senior Education Minister Mr. Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has declared that he is taking efforts for the promotion of Education in Sindh. During his speech in Program at Khairpur Mirs he distributed offer orders to the NTS Pass candidates; he said Ghost Teachers will be seriously treated and action would be taken against them. He also confessed that for the worst condition of Education, politicians and other influential persons are responsible.

Distrct Umerkot: While attending program at Tando Bago, Ms Asu Bai, a young disabled girl running volunteer school, has said that she wants to see all mother to be Educated. She has praised Media and other villagers who have supported her in her efforts for Education.

District Qamber Shahdadkot: Newly appointed NTS Pass Teachers have protested for their salaries before press club and have demanded for higher authorities to take notice and issue them salaries. They said, they are performing their duties with sincerity, but their salaries are not issued.

District Khairpur Mirs: Despite the notification of Time Scale, Junior School Teachers of Sindh Province are still deprived of their Time Scale amount. They have demanded from higher authorities to take notice and issue them time scale as per Government Policy. They said that 9 months ago notification was issued, but still they are kept aloof of their right of Time Scale.

Teachers at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology (Fuuast) have demanded the vice-chancellor Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal to accept the decision of the university’s senate that had unanimously resolved to send him on a three-month forced leave to ensure an impartial inquiry into several charges of corruption and mismanagement.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday presented the party recommendations for National Security Plan with an aim to root out the menace of terrorism from the country. MQM leader Farooq Sattar announced the party proposal while addressing a press conference at Khursheed Begum Memorial Hall along with the MQM coordination committee in-charge Qamar Mansoor, Barrister Dr Farrukh Naseem and Sardar Ahmed.

Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) has extended the date for admissions to its two-year BA programme and 4 year BS programme in the faculty of arts, science and technology , pharmacy, islamic studies, law, commerce and economics, education and business administration, to January 5.

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) Director Prof Adibul Hasan Rizvi on Saturday said students volunteer programme was essential for students at this stage of life as they would learn to understand the problems and plight of others which would bring a positive change not only in themselves but also in the entire society in general. He shared these views in certificate distribution ceremony of the student volunteer programme batch 39 held at SIUT.

Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui has directed all the deputy commissioners and heads of civil defence department of all the districts for making department of civil defence active and alive so that early preparations could be made to escape safely from any disaster or incident of terrorism. He said this while addressing an emergency meeting in this regard at his office.

As part of the project to educate 1,000 girls and help them find jobs and sustainability so they could eventually become donors themselves, the charitable programme Educate a Girl celebrated 500 vocational scholarships for deserving girls in Pakistan to become journalists.

VC Sindh University Prof. Dr. Imdad Ali Ismaili said that efforts are being made to make the University a distinguished institution in the region recognized for its global perspective. He was addressing the participants of two different M.Phil seminars at his office.

Students group merges with JSQM-A

Leaders of the G.Mist Nazryati Council decided to merge their organisation in the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Arisar (JSQM-A) and the decision was announced at a press conference here on Sunday. JSQM-A senior vice chairman Aslam Khairpuri hailed students’ decision and said that their struggle for rights of Sindh would continue. He said Sindh was passing through a critical phase now and all anti-Sindh forces were hatching conspiracy against it.

Governor Sindh has ended the contract of former secretary and transferred controller examination to another division. It was done in pursuance of suspected deliberate changes in results of Sindh Board of Technical Education.

Vice Chancellor Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science, and Technology has taken stay order on high court judgment on his leaves that he availed after syndicate meeting. It was argued by teachers of FUUAST to Media.

Web and Public Relations Section of Sindh University has launched the University’s website, social media pages, and groups. It will facilitate the students and others for having updated information about University.

Going to school is a hugely risky proposition for children and teachers across the world. We don’t realise how difficult and hazardous getting an education is till it hits us in the face: the bloody assault in Peshawar, the disappearance of a busload of schoolboys in Mexico, the abduction of almost 300 girls in Nigeria. Such outrages get the headlines but what happened to Malala Yousafzai is repeated in different ways in at least 70 countries — and in 30 of these the violence is systematic.

Since a law was put in place in 2005 to register madressahs in the country, only a tiny fraction of these institutes have actually gone through the process of putting their name down on the book. Across the country, thousands others run with no data available as to their number, the pupils enrolled in them or their source of funding. There are currently 22,052 registered madressahs across the country, the largest number of them in Punjab where 14,954 such institutes run.

We have killed the children in the auditorium, one of the attackers told his holder, “What do we do now”? He asked, wait for the army people and kill them all before blowing yourself, his holder ordered. If we peep deep and far off our social setup has developed aggression restlessness and extremism in our generation.

The state education system in Pakistan, the government schools that a majority of children go to, has been a mess ever since I first encountered it in 1993 and has stayed a mess to a greater or lesser degree ever since. There are exceptions, and it would be misleading to say that all government schools were bad because they are not, but those that are above average are in a minority.

There is not a sufficient amount of attention that can be paid to the recent execution of 132 children in Pakistan. Some of the worst offenders, the leaders of fanatical madrassas are right to expect a crackdown against their institutions. This government would be completely justified in coming down hard on these religious schools and investigate their funding and syllabus.

Before joining the noble profession of law, I was fortunate to have done my undergraduate degree in Economics from LUMS. Countless all nighters, endless assignments, multiple quizzes and conceptually tasking lectures by esteemed professors.

The Pakistani media has been on fire post Peshawar attack, with it directing a lot of its attention towards the Madrassas, with blame being put on this institution for terrorism and sectarian attacks in Pakistan.

Many studies have suggested that consumptions of unhealthy foods is a major contributor to childhood obesity, and there has been much debate over the marketing of junk food to children. In the latest study, Purtell and her team wanted to determine whether fast food consumption affects how well a child does in school.

The security threat has disrupted the education scene in the province and people are even more disturbed over the government’s response as it first ordered closure of educational institutions and then extended the ‘winter vacation’ till Jan 11.

According to a recent UN report, Pakistan has been ranked 141st among 142 countries in terms of educational excellence. Despite all the claims of serious efforts in the realm of education, our government has failed to bring any sound progress so far. Almost half of our people are illiterate, while only one-third of the Pakistani women can read and write. This is a frightening situation.

THIS is with reference to the heavy school bags our children are being forced to carry every day to school. No significant effort has been made to help the children. Further, according to the recommendations of the WHO, the weight of a school bag should not be greater than 10pc of the body weight of a student. Despite warnings from experts, school bags are increasingly getting heavier.

Can we presume that the death of 150 innocent girls, boys and their teachers in Peshawar has changed the course of history in Pakistan? It was a strange scene this Wednesday when political and security leadership, including liberals, Taliban-apologists and Taliban-backers, gathered under one roof to ponder upon the menace of terrorism.

It has been observed that most of the students don’t take their studies seriously. Distraction such as messaging, gossiping, socializing spoil most of the time. The first reason to be students’ lack of interest in any particular subject as well as the way our teachers teach?

Co-education has many advantages in this age of fast learning. In our country, however, there are numerous opponents of co-education. Those who support it contend that in a poor country like Pakistan, it solves the problems of shortage of schools, colleges and competent teaching staff.

The Peshawar tragedy has rocked the nation and sent about ripples of fear and hatred. The tragedy clearly indicates that there is a real threat to the sovereignty of Pakistan, leading the country to a ‘now or never’ direction. We need complete mapping of registered and unregistered madrassas in all provinces of Pakistan holistically. We then need initiate action against them by conducting minute scrutiny of these madrassas.